ai4bharat/Pralekha huggingface dataset:
Ministry of Civil Aviation
Sindhudurg Airport will be a boost for Aviation Sector in Maharashtra
Commerce Minister reviews work of Sindhudurg Airport
Construction of airport building and runway for airport at Sindhudurg, Maharashtra
Maharashtra will get a new airport at ParuleChipi in Sindhudurg district in 2018. Work on the project is expected to be completed in June this year, before the onset of monsoon and the Ganesh Festival, which will begin in September this year.
The airport is being constructed by IRB Sindhudurg Airport Pvt. Ltd. on a design-build-finance-operate-transfer  basis for the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation . Sindhudurg airport will have a 2500-meter runway which has provision for future development. The airport will be built at an approximate cost of 520 crores.
Sindhudurg airport will have the capacity to handle 200 departing and 200 passengers arriving during peak hours with expansion facilities to serve up to 400 departing and 400 arriving passengers without additional construction. Although the airport will be serving domestic travellers it will be equipped with facilities to serve International charter flights.
Agreement for construction of the airport has already been signed between Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation  and IRB Sindhudurg airport Pvt. Ltd. in 2009. The Ministry of Civil Aviation has given in-principle approval and environmental clearance has also been granted by the Ministry of Environment and Forest.
Construction of taxi way, apron and isolation bay has been completed and work on the airfield ground lighting in on. Construction of passenger terminal building, ATC tower and technical building is on in full swing. Construction of other ancillary buildings is in progress and will be completed on time.
An airport in Sindhudurg was necessary in order to provide better connectivity to the Konkan region of Maharashtra, parts of Goa, North Karnataka and Western Maharashtra. At present the state of Maharashtra has three functional international and 13 domestic airports.
Ministry of Railways
IRCTC eticketing web site should have the all features for ease of booking by the passengers - Shri Piyush Goyal, Minister for Railways and Commerce & Industry and Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution.
Railways working to enhance user personalisation and facilitation of their eticketing website, along with Enhanced Features & Simple Design.
Shri Piyush Goyal, Minister for Railways and Commerce & Industry and Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, reviewed the upgradation being worked for the Eticketing system. The Minister sought that Eticketing web site should provide holistic convenience to the passengers for their train journey.
IRCTC Ticketing website of IR provides the facility of online passenger reservation in the trains being run over IR touching the lives of most citizens for their rail travel needs.
Since 2014 a new emphasis is being given on improving the public experience in booking of tickets as well as travelling conveniences . The Minister felt that IRCTC web site remains the first contact point of traveling citizens with the Railways and that experience must be friendly and convenient. Under the new digital India, more and more people are now moving towards booking the tickets online rather than going to the reservation counters and therefore IRCTC website needs to really double it's efforts to constantly upgrade itself.
Officials of RB, CRIS and IRCTC assured the Minister that all possible efforts would be made to further improve the functioning of website.
Ministry of Defence
Induction of Flight Inspection System Aircraft 
The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria formally inducted the Flight Information system  Dornier aircraft into No 41 Squadron, the ‘Otters’, at a ceremony at Air Force Station Palam today.
The modified Dornier 228 aircraft have been acquired to undertake in-house calibration of Navigational aids available after implementation of Modernised Airfield Infrastructure  at IAF bases. While the first aircraft was delivered in Nov 19, the second is expected to be delivered in early 2020.
Ministry of Jal Shakti
Jal Shakti Abhiyan for Water Conservation Launched
Coordinated Action Rolls out following Prime Minister’s Clarion Call
Union Jal Shakti Minister, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, today announced the commencement of the Jal Shakti Abhiyan - a campaign for water conservation and water security. The campaign will run through citizen participation during the monsoon season, from 1st July, 2019 to 15th September, 2019. An additional Phase 2 will be run from 1st October, 2019 to 30th November, 2019 for States receiving the North East retreating monsoons. The focus of the campaign will be on water stressed districts and blocks.
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, in his Mann Ki Baat address yesterday had given a clarion call to citizens to join hands for water conservation and create a jan-andolan along the lines of the Swachh Bharat Mission, to save water and secure the future. The Prime Minister invited ideas, traditional knowledge, initiatives undertaken, success stories, and films made on water conservation from common citizens, celebrities and NGOs alike.
Addressing the media in New Delhi, the Jal Shakti Minister said that the government aims at providing drinking water to every household on priority and in a sustainable manner. The Minister said that the Jal Shakti Abhiyan should bring positive change in people for water conservation. Mentioning the impact of PM’s recent letter to more than 2.3 lakh Sarpanches, the Minister said that it will help people to work for rain water harvesting, maintenance and upkeep of ponds and village tanks and conservation of water. The Union Minister invited the media to actively participate in these efforts.
The Minister also released video of a public service announcement carrying the message of the Prime minister for all citizens to join the water conservation efforts in a proactive manner.
Secretary, Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Shri Parameswaran Iyer, informed that the Jal Shakti Abhiyan is a collaborative effort of various Ministries of the Government of India and State Governments, being coordinated by the DDWS. He said that teams of officers from the central government will visit and work with district administration in 1592 water stressed blocks in 256 districts, to ensure five important water conservation interventions. These will be water conservation and rainwater harvesting, renovation of traditional and other water bodies/tanks, reuse, bore well recharge structures, watershed development and intensive afforestation. These water conservation efforts will also be supplemented with special interventions including the development of Block and District Water Conservation Plans, promotion of efficient water use for irrigation and better choice of crops through Krishi Vigyan Kendras.
A large-scale communications campaign has also been planned alongside the JSA involving mass mobilisation of different groups including school students, college students, swachhagrahis, Self Help Groups, Panchayati Raj Institution members, youth groups , defence personnel, ex-servicemen and pensioners, among various others.
Ministry of Agriculture &
Farmers Welfare
Sowing area of Kharif crops 21.2 % more compared to last year
As on 17.07.2020, kharif crops have been sown on 691.86 lakh ha area against 570.86 lakh ha area during the corresponding period of last year
As on 16.07.2020, actual rainfall received in the country is 338.3 mm against normal of 308.4 mm i.e. departure of  10% during the period from 01.06.2020 to 16.07.2020. As on 16.07.2020 as per report of CWC, the live water storage available in 123 reservoirs in the country is 150 % of live storage of corresponding period of last year and 133% of storage of average of last ten years.
As on 17.07.2020, total kharif crops have been sown on 691.86 lakh ha area against 570.86 lakh ha area during the corresponding period of last year, thus increase in area coverage by 21.20% compared to last year in the country.
The sowing area coverage under Kharif crops is as follows: Farmers have sown
- Rice on 168.47 lakh ha against 142.06 lakh ha area last year i.e. increase in area coverage by 18.59%,
- Pulses on 81.66 lakh ha against 61.70 lakh ha area last year i.e. increase in area coverage by 32.35%,
- Coverage of Coarse Cereals reported on 115.60 lakh ha area against 103.00 lakh ha area last year i.e. increase in area coverage by 12.23%,
- Oilseeds 154.95 lakh ha area against 110.09 lakh ha area last year i.e. area coverage increased by 40.75 %,
- Sugarcane on 51.29 lakh ha area against 50.82 lakh ha area last year i.e. increase in area coverage by 0.92%
- Under Cotton, area coverage reported on 113.01 lakh ha area against 96.35 lakh ha area last year i.e. increase in area coverage by 17.28 % and
- In case of Jute & Mesta, on 6.88 lakh ha area against 6.84 lakh ha area last year i.e. increase in area coverage by 0.70% reported in the country.
So, there is no impact of COVID-19 on progress of area coverage under kharif crops as on date.
Click link for details
Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship
8.16 lakh candidates benefit fromNational Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme
The Government of India launched “National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme”  in August,2016 with stipend support and sharing of the cost of basic training with a cumulative target of training 50 lakh youth during Financial Year 2016-17 to 2019-20. Following are the details of financial support components under NAPS:
- i. Stipend support : reimbursement of 25% of prescribed stipend subject to a maximum of Rs 1500/- per month per apprentice with employers. The stipend support would not be given during the basic training period for fresher apprentices
- Sharing of cost of Basic Training: @ Rs7500/- for a maximum of 3 months or 500 hours in respect of apprentices who come directly to apprenticeship training without any formal trade training. The government is not providing any supplementary fiscal assistance to the States to make NAPS more fruitful.
State/UT- wise, the total number of beneficiaries under NAPS including the state of Tamil Nadu till 25th February,2020 is given in Annexure-I.
Annexure-I
|
|
S.No.
|
|
Name of the State/UT
|
|
Apprentices Count
|
|
1
|
|
Andaman And Nicobar Islands
|
|
0
|
|
2
|
|
Andhra Pradesh
|
|
28119
|
|
3
|
|
Arunachal Pradesh
|
|
0
|
|
4
|
|
Assam
|
|
5270
|
|
5
|
|
Bihar
|
|
3628
|
|
6
|
|
Chandigarh
|
|
1087
|
|
7
|
|
Chhattisgarh
|
|
10483
|
|
8
|
|
Dadra And Nagar Haveli
|
|
562
|
|
9
|
|
Daman And Diu
|
|
164
|
|
10
|
|
Delhi
|
|
9263
|
|
11
|
|
Goa
|
|
2212
|
|
12
|
|
Gujarat
|
|
153246
|
|
13
|
|
Haryana
|
|
83007
|
|
14
|
|
Himachal Pradesh
|
|
6233
|
|
15
|
|
Jammu and Kashmir
|
|
1904
|
|
16
|
|
Jharkhand
|
|
23059
|
|
17
|
|
Karnataka
|
|
51641
|
|
18
|
|
Kerala
|
|
19232
|
|
19
|
|
Lakshadweep
|
|
0
|
|
20
|
|
Madhya Pradesh
|
|
25509
|
|
21
|
|
Maharashtra
|
|
168303
|
|
22
|
|
Manipur
|
|
21
|
|
23
|
|
Meghalaya
|
|
44
|
|
24
|
|
Mizoram
|
|
0
|
|
26
|
|
Ladakh
|
|
5
|
|
27
|
|
Nagaland
|
|
6
|
|
28
|
|
Odisha
|
|
15361
|
|
29
|
|
Puducherry
|
|
2141
|
|
30
|
|
Punjab
|
|
10652
|
|
31
|
|
Rajasthan
|
|
14552
|
|
32
|
|
Sikkim
|
|
217
|
|
33
|
|
Tamil Nadu
|
|
45764
|
|
34
|
|
Telangana
|
|
31005
|
|
35
|
|
Tripura
|
|
1087
|
|
36
|
|
Uttar Pradesh
|
|
77030
|
|
37
|
|
Uttarakhand
|
|
11491
|
|
38
|
|
West Bengal
|
|
12671
|
|
Grand Total
|
|
816715
This information was given by the Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Shri R.K. Singh in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.
Ministry of Heavy Industries
Revised guidelines for closure of CPSEs
Department of Public Enterprises  has revised the guidelines on time bound closure of sick and loss making Central Public Sector Enterprises and disposal of their assets on 14th June, 2018. The revised guidelines replace the earlier guidelines issued on 7.9.2016.
The new guidelines prescribe timelines for step by step process to be completed by the CPSE under closure and disposal of its assets. The entire process of closure of a CPSE and disposal of the assets is to be completed within a period of 13 months from the zero date i.e. date of issue of minutes conveying the approval for closure of sick and loss making CPSE by the Government.
In the new guidelines, priority has been given for use of land of CPSEs under closure for affordable housing. The land identified for affordable housing shall undergo the process of disposal as per the guidelines of Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
The guidelines on time bound closure of sick and loss making CPSEs uniformly provide for payment of VRS or VSS at 2007 notional pay scale to employees of CPSEs under closure irrespective of the existing pay scales of the company.
This information was given by the Minister of State of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, Babul Supriyo, in reply to written questions in the Rajya Sabha today.
Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers
Development of Infrastructure of NIPERs
National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research  Act was enacted in the year 1998 for setting up of an individual institute of national importance, viz., NIPER at SAS Nagar , Punjab. The Act was subsequently amended in the year 2007 permitting establishment of similar institutes in different parts of the country. Six new NIPERs at Ahmedabad, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Raebareli and Hajipur were accordingly set up in 2007-08. In December, 2021, the Parliament has passed NIPER  Bill, 2021 clarifying amongst others, that existing NIPERs and similar institutes set up subsequently would be institutes of national importance
NIPER at Mohali has a full-fledged campus with state of art laboratories and regular faculty. As regard six other NIPERs set up during 2007-08, the department has provided more than Rs. 1,200 cr. since their inception for their infrastructure and activities. These six NIPERs have since been sanctioned regular faculty and other administrative posts, most of which have been filled up. All these NIPERs have been provided funds for setting up of well-equipped laboratories. The construction of campus of NIPER at Guwahati has almost been completed and construction of campus of NIPER at Ahmedabad is in full swing. Expenditure Finance Committee  in its meeting held on 24th September, 2021 has further approved Rs. 1,500 cr. for the five-year period from 2021-22 to 2025-26 for setting up/ up-gradation of existing seven NIPERs, including construction of their regular campuses.
Expenditure Finance Committee in its last meeting has not supported proposal for creation of new NIPERs at present stage.
The information was given by the Union Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers, Shri Mansukh Mandaviya in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.
Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas
QR Codes for LPG Cylinders
|
|
- Pilot study for QR code tagging of cylinders undertaken by Indian Oil Corporation Ltd.  at some plants
- This initiative has potential to resolve issues of pilferage, tracking and tracing and better inventory management of gas cylinders
A pilot study for QR code tagging of cylinders has been undertaken by Indian Oil Corporation Ltd.  at Madanpur Khadar Bottling Plant, Delhi. Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation  has accorded approval for a period of 3 months w.e.f. 01.09.2022 for filling of QR coded LPG cylinders at Madanpur Khadar Bottling plant and dispatch to only two distributors of Delhi Market. Subsequently PESO has extended the permission further for 3 more months i.e. till 28.02.2023. This initiative has potential to resolve issues of pilferage, tracking and tracing and better inventory management of gas cylinders. IOCL has sent total 23,827 such QR tagged 14.2 Kg LPG cylinders to these distributors till 27.11.2022.
Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies have taken several steps to prevent pilferage/supply of underweight cylinders to LPG consumers, which inter-alia include, random weight checking of filled cylinders at bottling plant, sealing of cylinders with Tamper Evident Seal, Statistical Quality Control on 10 % cylinders received from bottling plant, pre-delivery checks of cylinders, carrying portable weighing scales by delivery persons, random checks by OMC officials at go-down/delivery points/en-route, organizing public awareness campaigns etc.
This information was given by the Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Shri Rameswar Teli in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
One of the highest globally, India’s Recovery Rate now nearly 97%
31 States/UTs with less than 5,000 Active Cases
More than 23.5 lakh beneficiaries vaccinated against COVID19
With a consistent rise in cumulative recoveries, India’s Recovery Rate has reached nearly 97%. India’s recovery rate is one of the highest globally.
1,03,73,606 people have recovered. 14,301 patients have recovered and discharged in the last 24 hours.
India’s total Active Caseload has dropped to less than 1.75 lakh  today. The active caseload now consists of just 1.62% of India’s total Positive Cases.
Following the national trend of sustained decline in active cases, 31 States/UTs have recorded less than 5,000 Active Cases.
78% of the active cases are concentrated in five states viz. Kerala, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka and West Bengal.
As on 28th January, 2021, till 7:30 AM, more than 23.5 lakh  beneficiaries have received the vaccination under the countrywide COVID19 vaccination exercise.
In the last 24 hours, 3,26,499 people were vaccinated across 6,102 sessions. 42,674 sessions have been conducted so far.
|
|
S. No.
|
|
State/UT
|
|
Beneficiaries vaccinated
|
|
1
|
|
A & N Islands
|
|
2,385
|
|
2
|
|
Andhra Pradesh
|
|
1,63,727
|
|
3
|
|
Arunachal Pradesh
|
|
7,307
|
|
4
|
|
Assam
|
|
19,945
|
|
5
|
|
Bihar
|
|
89,074
|
|
6
|
|
Chandigarh
|
|
2,355
|
|
7
|
|
Chhattisgarh
|
|
51,647
|
|
8
|
|
Dadra & Nagar Haveli
|
|
345
|
|
9
|
|
Daman & Diu
|
|
320
|
|
10
|
|
Delhi
|
|
39,764
|
|
11
|
|
Goa
|
|
2,311
|
|
12
|
|
Gujarat
|
|
94,524
|
|
13
|
|
Haryana
|
|
1,09,782
|
|
14
|
|
Himachal Pradesh
|
|
14,054
|
|
15
|
|
Jammu & Kashmir
|
|
16,331
|
|
16
|
|
Jharkhand
|
|
24,020
|
|
17
|
|
Karnataka
|
|
2,67,811
|
|
18
|
|
Kerala
|
|
82,970
|
|
19
|
|
Ladakh
|
|
818
|
|
20
|
|
Lakshadweep
|
|
746
|
|
21
|
|
Madhya Pradesh
|
|
1,31,679
|
|
22
|
|
Maharashtra
|
|
1,79,509
|
|
23
|
|
Manipur
|
|
2,855
|
|
24
|
|
Meghalaya
|
|
3,249
|
|
25
|
|
Mizoram
|
|
6,142
|
|
26
|
|
Nagaland
|
|
3,973
|
|
27
|
|
Odisha
|
|
1,78,227
|
|
28
|
|
Puducherry
|
|
1,813
|
|
29
|
|
Punjab
|
|
44,708
|
|
30
|
|
Rajasthan
|
|
2,37,137
|
|
31
|
|
Sikkim
|
|
1,320
|
|
32
|
|
Tamil Nadu
|
|
82,039
|
|
33
|
|
Telangana
|
|
1,30,425
|
|
34
|
|
Tripura
|
|
19,698
|
|
35
|
|
Uttar Pradesh
|
|
1,23,761
|
|
36
|
|
Uttarakhand
|
|
14,690
|
|
37
|
|
West Bengal
|
|
1,58,193
|
|
38
|
|
Miscellaneous
|
|
46,325
|
|
Total
|
|
23,55,979
77.84% of the new recovered cases are observed to be concentrated in 7 States/UTs.
Kerala has reported the maximum number of single day recoveries with 5,006 newly recovered cases. 2,556 people recovered in Maharashtra in the past 24 hours followed by 944 in Karnataka.
11,666 daily new cases registered in the last 24 hours.
81.96% of the new cases are from 6 States and UTs.
Kerala continues to report the highest daily new cases at 5,659. It is followed by Maharashtra with 2,171, while Tamil Nadu reported 512 new cases.
123 deaths recorded in the last 24 hours.
Seven States/UTs account for 75.61% of the new deaths. Maharashtra saw the maximum casualties . Kerala follows with 20 daily deaths and Punjab with 10.
Ministry of Micro,Small & Medium Enterprises
Latest Data on MSMEs
The Ministry of MSME, maintains data of registration of MSMEs, cancellation of registration and employment on Udyam Registration Portal.
The data on credit outstanding to the MSME sector by Scheduled Commercial Banks for the last three financial years indicates an increasing trend, as shown below:
Amount in Rs. in Crore
|
|
Year/Quarter ended
|
|
Amt. O/s
|
|
March 2020
|
|
16,13,582.17
|
|
March 2021
|
|
17,83,924.80
|
|
March 2022|
|
20,22,634.29
Source: Priority Sector Return submitted by SCBsDate is provisional
The Government of India, under Aatma Nirbhar Bharat, has announced measures to help micro, small and medium enterprises in the country. These include  Subordinate Debt for stressed MSMEs;  Rs. 3 lakh crore Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme  for business, including MSMEs, which has subsequently been increased to Rs. 5 lakh crore;  Rs. 50,000 crore equity infusion through Self-Reliant India Fund;  New revised criteria of classification of MSMEs;  New registration of MSMEs through ‘Udyam Registration’ for Ease of Doing Business;  No global tenders for procurement up to Rs. 200 crore.
This information was given by Minister of State for Micro Small and Medium Enterprises, Shri Bhanu Pratap Singh Verma in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.
MJPS
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Ministry of Science & Technology
Novel strategy to synthesize solid adsorbents for CO2 capture and utilization discovered
Indian Scientists have discovered a strategy to synthesize novel solid adsorbents for CO2 capture and utilization.
Carbon capture and utilization are growing fields of research focusing on reducing CO2 emissions. Although several industrial advancements have already been demonstrated, none of the technologies can provide an economically viable and complete CO2 capture and utilization solution. Therefore, fundamental research on novel solid adsorbents might offer a critical material for CO2 capture and CO2 utilization.
Professor Rahul Banerjee’s group at IISER-Kolkata, with support from Department of Science & Technology, Govt. of India under Mission Innovation program, has demonstrated a strategy to synthesize novel solid adsorbents, especially for CO2 capture and CO2 utilization. Prof. Banerjee’s group has discovered special types of nanoparticles or microparticles which can capture CO2 in their micro and mesoporous voids.
The novel materials with distinct physical properties on its surfaces that have been synthesized include porous Covalent organic frameworks like COF-graphene Janus thin films published in ‘Journal of American Chemical Society’ porous covalent bonded organic nanotubes published in Nature Chemistry, and COF coated zeolite published in ‘Journal of American Chemical Society’.
The judicious choice of 2D graphene sheets as a grafter helped the researchers to design and create COF-graphene Janus thin films through the interactions  between the COF and graphene, rendering flexible porous Janus films at the DCM-water interface. The newly designed COF-coated zeolites could be an excellent candidate for CO2 storage in the industry due to their high surface area and increased chemical stability.
The high CO2 uptake for the COF coated zeolites, even after treatment with weak acids makes it appropriate for industrial purposes. The COFs coating prevented the degradation of zeolite structure from moisture, weak acids, and water. The CO2 uptake data for COF coated zeolite at 1 bar, 293K is 132 cc/g, supersedes the CO2 uptake data of zeolite under the same condition.
Rahul Banerjee’s group has recently discovered purely covalent bonded organic nanotubes  with a hitherto unavailable structure via a novel bottom-up approach. Although zero-dimensional covalent organic cages and two- and three-dimensional covalent organic frameworks were previously reported, the synthesis of one-dimensional organic nanotubes was hitherto unheard of. The synthesized CONTs have the edge over the analogous carbon nanotubes  in functionalization, synthetic conditions, and porosity which exhibits a BET surface area of 321 m2 g-1. They are also promising candidates for the efficient CO2 adsorption with a CO2 uptake capacity of 60-80 cc g-1 at 1 bar and 293 K. These CONTs have also showcased photosensitizing ability, which can convert the adsorbed CO2 into CO  upon irradiation of visible light .
Publication link:
https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.1c10263
https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.1c09740
For more details, Professor Rahul Banerjee  can be contacted.